Loving Heracles
by Iris Aquarius
Summary: This is the story of Heracles and his life and 12 Labors from his future wife's, Hebe Goddess of Youth point of view.
1. Goddess of Youth

Chapter 1: Goddess of Youth

The mortar and pestle beat a steady rythmn as she stared into the depths of the amphora next to her. This would have been a pretty commonplace domestic image if the liquid in the amphora wasn't reflecting a sunny courtyard and family lounging on coaches beneath the veranda; or if the mixture being pounded wasn't nectar and ambrosia. For this young woman was none other than a goddess, one of the goddesses who resided high in Olympus centuries ago. She was Hebe, Goddess of Youth and Cupbearer to the Gods.

"Oh come on, Hebe," Another young goddess laughed in the doorway, "Are you watching humans again? Boring ones too, no doubt!"

"Hey Catey," Hebe grumbled into the mixture she was making. "They're royal this time. So better than the people I normally watch."

"Aww, come on cutie, give your buddy a smile." The dark goddess came over and grinned into Hebe's face, "And give me more deference, I am much older than you. Therefore, I am not _Catey _but the Queen of the Night, Hecate, the triple Goddess of Magic and Crossroads and oh so much more."

Hebe lifted a delicate eye brow and snorted into her concoction.

The difference between the two of them was remarkably striking, Hebe was one of the golden goddess with long blond hair that curled around her ivory skin delicately. She had large dark eyes that wouldn't have been found amiss on a child's face. Hecate would never be mistaken for a child, though in her maiden's form she had a dark grace and demeanor that bespoke many eons of power. The innocence that graced Hebe like the gown she wore was absent from Hecate though they appeared physically near the same age.

"Alright, Oh Queen of the Night, " Hebe's voice dripped with ire, "What brings you to these humble storerooms? "

"You darlin'!" Hecate danced into the room with the grace only a goddess could possess, "Aphrodite was looking for you and since I tend to spend more time in the Dark Court then up here on Olympus I decided to see how you are doing. But I see my presence is not wanted so I'll just head back down to Hades."

"No!" Hebe called out and grabbed her friends hand before she could skip out of the room, "Catey, stop being stupid. You know I missed you!"

"Say it!" Hecate demanded trying to look stern but the smile that tweaked her lips was barely hidden.

Hebe rolled her eyes but couldn't help up laugh, "I love you dearly, you're my favorite!"

"That a girl!" Hecate let out a shriek of a laugh and spun Hebe around in a dance. She then collapsed in a chair that materialized near where Hebe had been sitting. He peered into the amphora that still displayed the mortals, "So, who are you stalking now?"

"Alcmene and Amphityron," Hebe answered settling in and continuing with the concoction she was making, "They're the king and queen of the House of Perseus. Zeus has his eye on Alcmene, she's a virgin still. She promised her brothers that she wouldn't full marry anyone until their death was avenged. Amphityron is leaving soon to avenge them and come back to his loyal wife. They love eachother so deeply. I'm worried Zeus is going to ruin everything."

"By Nyx! You've turned soft, Be," Hecate laughed, "Ever since you became one of Aphrodite's henchmen."

"I am not one of her henchmen." Hebe ground her teeth and glared at her friend. "You know I needed a place, I can't just be Cupbearer forever."

"Yeah," Hecate laughed her shriek of a laugh, "but did you have to become a goddess of love when you've never experienced it yourself?"

"Shut it, Catey." Hebe growled.

"Aww," Hecate leapt over and hugged the golden goddess close, "Don't be such a sourpuss. You need to come down to the Dark Court soon. You need to relax and have some fun. Get out from amongst all these airheads."

Hebe pour the ground ambrosia into a vat of nectar before stirring it. Hecate danced towards the door singing good-byes but just as she reached the door, she turned and said, "Plus, Kore misses you something fierce. So at least some to see her."

Hebe looked up at the sound of her best friends name but Hecate had already disappeared around the corner. Hecate was a nudge and a joker but deep down she was a great friend and Hebe knew she should have been more welcoming. It was childish angst at being mad at Aphrodite that made her lash out at her friends. Maybe she did need to go give Hades a visit.

For the moment, though, she needed to bring this nectar and ambrosia to the throne room where she should find the 12 Olympians. They were supposed to be having a meeting, but with little to discuss not everyone was going to be there and little would be accomplished. Giving a sigh, she dipped a pitcher into the golden liquid and made her way through labyrinth like halls of Olympus. With enough room to house every god, goddess, and godlet in the Greek Pantheon the building was immense. Though, everyone had the ability to just appear wherever they wanted in the expansive palace, Hebe liked to take her time and stroll through the halls.

Especially recently, the long ,cold halls that stood mostly empty attracted Hebe and let her think. She'd felt displaced for a while now and it made her feel as empty as the back halls of Olympus. She wanted purpose, she wanted companionship. For, to tell the truth, all these melancholy feelings had come after Persephone left for the Underworld. Hebe was happy that her best friend had found love, but it did leave Hebe rather lonely. Hebe and Kore had grown up together as godlets and young virgin goddesses. They had been unseperable on Earth, Heaven and the Underworld.

Now, with Persephone's new status as Queen of the Underworld, not to mention the attention of her husband, Hebe had been left behind and lonely. Hebe gave a sigh and transported herself the rest of the way to the throne room to get away from these darker thoughts. They led no where.

As she knew it would be, the throne room was not the political center is has been in the past, but a social scene of family gossiping. Zeus made them gather fairly frequently to keep them in touch. This was one such engagement.

"Hebe!" Aphrodite's glorious voice rang out across the brightly lit room of marble, "Could you take any longer? I'm parched."

She opened her mouth and tilted her chin back theatrically. As Hebe gracefully made her way across the room she couldn't help but notice the male eyes trailing the long line of Aphrodite's throat down to where her gown began. Hebe was used to being outshined when she stood next to the Goddess of Beauty and Love. Aphrodite was beauty. It almost hurt to look at her perfection, she just glowed with it. If you let your guard down, just the sight of her would bring tears to your eyes and rob you of breath. Hebe remembered the West Wind telling her about when Aphrodite rose from the seafoam and left even the Wind breathless. Everyone was caught in her spell. Hebe looked like a gauky child next to her and would have resented it if she wasn't so used to it. It did nothing for your self esteem to grow up around the most beautiful dieties in the world. Or having your best friend rival them all. Kore was always gorgeous.

When her mind settled on her friend again it made her trip up both mentally and physically. Damn Hecate for bring it up again, she had been so good not dwelling on her loneliness. To her horror, her little trip up ended with her stepping on the hem of her gown and spilling forward. Right towards Aphrodite.

Hebe would have wished for any god or goddess but Aphrodite to spill on. The golden liquid splashed all over Aphrodite's gown that was woven out of the colors of the sunrise. Eos had it made specially for her after she fell in love with Tithonus, if only the sweet Titan had asked for Hebe's gifts as well. It wasn't the gown that truly mattered though, it was the humiliation. Aphrodite needed to be perfection at all time. And that didn't involve childish goddess making messes on her gown. How she dealt with childbirth and raising is something only she and Eros knows.

"You little!" She hissed as Hebe collected herself and apologized profusely. "I can't believe you! You are going to pay for this, Hebe!" The anger in Aphrodite's beautiful eyes made Hebe quake where she stood but the spell was broken when the goddess of love turned on her heel and stomped off in anger. The Charities rose with her and Aglaea and Euphrosyne hurried after her without a look at their friend, though Euphrosyne was stifling giggles. Thalia, who personified good-cheer and could never hurt a soul, have her a quick hug and whispered, "Don't fret, Be!" before hurrying off after her younger sisters.

Hebe was left standing next to Aphrodite's throne on the verge of tears. She tries so hard, but she wasn't good at anything. She didn't have a place.

"Hebe," Zeus's voice wasn't very loud but still Hebe felt the vibrations in her chest and coming up through her barefeet. He was power. She knew it even when he was being soft and sweet. She turned and saw that Zeus was motioning to his empty cup. Hebe took a breath to quell the tears that threatened and rushed over with her pitcher full again.

As she was pouring the golden liquid Zeus leaned over and lifted her chin so she was looking into his piercing blue eyes, "Smile for me, little one."

He gave her the most coaxing smile and she couldn't help but return it. "Don't worry about that peacock, love. Everyone makes mistakes. Even gods."

"Who ever heard of a clumsy goddess?" Hebe grumbled.

"Apollo is one of the great gods of this Pantheon. He was clumsy enough to kill a lover of his with a disc. He had to repent as a mortal for Hyacinths death." Zeus tossled the golden curls that fell far down her back, "You're my daughter, Hebe. You are great. And, if I may say so, this nectar and ambrosia is just divine. You are amazing at making up a batch."

"Great at what, Zeus?" She demanded.

"Don't pout, dear." Zeus rumbled a laugh that sounded like nothing other than thunder echoing from far away, "You are the one who keeps us young. If that isn't important I'd like to refer you to a certain cricket beloved by the Dawn."

"Well, yeah." Hebe shrugged, "But that was what I was born to do. You were God of Thunder but than became King of all the Gods. That's a step up."

"Sweetheart," Zeus laughed out loud and the room slightly shook from the force, "Should I be worried that my sweetest daughter is planning on usurping the throne? Here that Hera? We raised a hellion."

Hebe couldn't help but laugh with her charismatic father. Even if Hera just looked over coolly at her husband and daughter and gave the slightest smile before turning back to the conversation she had been participating in.

"Oh, shut up Dad!" Hebe giggled but then sighed. Finally she confessed, "I guess I just need something to do. I miss Kore."

"Go and visit her, love." Zeus smiled at her with those piercing blue eyes, "It's been too long. You are always so much happier when you come back from my brother's neck of the woods. I'll be down on Earth tonight so we can leave together."

Hebe narrowed her eyes up at her father, "Are you going to visit the House of Perseus?"

"You are your mother's daughter, sometimes." Zeus looked slightly disgruntled and looked uneasily over at Hera who luckily was still absorbed with the conversation with Hestia.

Hebe laughed and gave her father a kiss on the cheek which made him loose the disgruntled look. "I'll meet you in the courtyard by twilight."


	2. Rainbows and Torches

**Hey, I'm just asking if you think this is too much dialogue in this chapter… If you could tell me what you think that be great! Thank you! I hope you enjoy! **

Chapter 2: Rainbows and Torches

When Hebe went to the courtyard she thought it was empty at first. Even the winds weren't disturbing the perfectly laid out gardens surrounded by the impressive marble columns. It was a beautiful courtyard with a large fountain in the middle. As her eyes took all this in, she saw she wasn't alone.

Iris was sitting, calmly, for once, beside the fountain with her chin resting on it's rim and trailing one finger in the clear water with a wistful look on her normally grinning face.

"Iris?" Hebe called walking closer. Iris sat up in surprise and gave the goddess of youth her quirky dimpled smile.

"Hey, Be." She waved and stood up. "Need a message run?"

"You okay, Iris?" Hebe dismissed the normally absurdly cheerful messenger's question. "You were looking pretty down, Iris; Anything wrong?"

"Don't fret about me, sweet cheeks," Iris let out her happy laughter and beckoned Hebe to sit beside her, "Just thinking about an old friend. Zeus wants me to bring him down to her murder's descendants house. She was a passionate one."

"Is this Alcmene and Amphitryon?" Hebe asked knowingly.

"Oh yeah!" Iris giggled. "So it's no secret then? Hera is going to flip, ain't she?"

Hebe nodded sadly, "I feel bad for the poor kid already. Why does Zeus _always_ have to procreate when he beds a woman?"

" 'Cause he's king of the Gods, baby." Iris nudged the younger goddess, "It tends to happen. OH! Did you hear, though? He better make it quick 'cause Amphitryon is coming tomorrow."

"Oh no!" Hebe wailed.

"Oh yes!" Iris giggled. "It's going to make things interesting."

Their gossip was interrupted by the rumbling greeting of Zeus. They both turned in surprise but saw that he had his charming smile in place. He wasn't angered by their idle chatter. Iris dipped him a low curtsy in her dew-drop tunic but still gave him an impudent smile, "You ready?"

"Iris, your presumptuous tongue is going to get ripped out of that pretty little face of yours one day," He laughed and narrowed his sky blue eyes at the still smiling goddess.

"Oh but Your Majesty," She danced forward and looked up into his handsome face, "I have the honor of being protected by the King of Gods and his gracious wife. No would dare touch me in fear of angering him!"

"Does that go for the King of Gods as well?" Zeus raised an eyebrow.

"Well, his dear wife gets mighty angry," She paused and contemplated soberly, but couldn't hide the smile still pulling at her lips, "And no one needs an angry Hera. Plus, where would he get his latest gossip from if not from me!"

"Get on with ya, cheeky wench," He laughed and shooed her towards the gate way. "Hebe, daughter, are you coming?"

"Yes, Father," She curtsied and let her father grab her small hand in his powerful one. The smile on her face that brightened all of her features was natural and real. She loved when he played the father instead of the king of gods. It was hard when he had so many children to pay attention to them. Especially, when Hebe was just a minor goddess. Even Athena and the other Olympian children of Zeus felt neglected from Zeus sometimes.

They walked together to where Iris had made the Seasons clear back the clouds; She had already painted her rainbow walkway to the earth. "You ready?" She asked again and unfolded her beautiful golden wings. She launched herself off the marble into the clouds without waiting for an answer.

Zeus followed the golden flash of her wings with his crystal clear blue eyes, but there was a smile hesitant at his lips. He did enjoy the disrespectful messenger in a world where everyone gave him some sort of deference.

"Hebe, you know of the mortals I am to visit, correct?" Zeus asked as he began descending down the rainbow archway.

"Oh yes!" She answered, "They're really quite sweet."

"Tell me about them, would you?"

She took a breath and told their sweet story of love and family bonds as they walked to Gaea's earth. She looked around at the earth and all of it's inhabitants as they descended.

"You really do love these mortals?" Zeus smiled at his golden daughter.

"Yes, I do." She smiled back at him. "I don't know why, but they are fascinating. I can watch them for ages. Hecate always makes fun of me."

"The Daughter of Nyx has a high opinion of herself," Zeus commented.

"With good reason. She is very powerful, though she denies positions of power." Hebe returned. Zeus looked down at the blond curls of his normally timid daughter. Was she chiding the King of Gods? She looked up with eyes as blue as his own and bobbed a curtsy, "Respectfully, that is."

He laughed and they continued to walk. When finally they parted ways, Zeus swept her up in a strong hug and told her very seriously, "Be happy, little one. You will find your place."

Iris took his place as he glamoured himself to look the part of Amphitryon and entered the palace of Perseus. "You're going to the Underworld, am I right?"

"Yep," She answered.

"Oh! Did you hear?" Iris's changeable eyes gleamed with the spark of gossip and regaled the young goddess with another story of mortals and gods misbehaving. This is what the dew-drop dressed goddess loved above all else. She loved her job, whisking from every part of the earth to Olympus and the Underworld with a quick tongue and a sharp ear for news.

When the two made it to the entrance of the Underworld, Hebe saw an old crone sitting calmly on the harsh rocks. She was an ugly old woman with a nose that dominated her creased face and only a sparse patch of gnarled grey hair on her head. Hebe couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"Well, Catey," She called with glee in her voice, "What's happened? You've looked better."

"A moody, young goddess mourning her blessed fate in Olympus has turned my hair prematurely grey," The crone muttered and glared with dark eyes peering out of folds and wrinkles of skin.

"What a shame," Hebe danced forward with Iris grinning beside her, "I heard you had been such a beauty before. Guess they were wrong."

"Wrong?" The crone barked, "I'm as beautiful as the goddess of the sea-foam, her primped self, the Goddess Aphrodite!"

Hebe gave her a once over, "Could have fooled me. And watch yourself, Aphrodite does not care for competition."

"Annoying child." The crone, Hecate, glared and with a blink had changed into her maiden form, black and white beauty. "And Aphrodite can go to Tartarus for all I care. Her spite and her son's arrows can't touch me."

"Is that supposed to be an improvement?" Hebe asked in a serious voice studying the maiden before her.

"Oh, go drown yourself in your precious ambrosia, girly." Hecate rolled her large dark eyes and jumped off the rock she had perched on. "I'll take it from here, Iris!"

"Thanks, Iris!" Hebe waved at the cheery messenger who was already stretching out her golden wings and preparing to leave.

"I'm glad you came," Hecate put an arm around Hebe's shoulders, "As I said before, Persephone's missed ya something fierce. Don't know why, if you ask me! Much more pleasant without ya, cutie."

"Just light those torches and shut your mouth, Catey." Hebe narrowed her cyan eyes and shrugged out of Hecate's hug.

"Aw, cutie you know I'm just giving you a run for your money." Hecate let out her shriek of laughter and lit the double torches she was known for.

"I once led Demeter this way," She mused absently as silence fell between the two.

"When has Demeter come to Hades realm?" Hebe asked.

"Ah, there is much you don't know, young one!" Hecate answered in a grand voice. Hebe laughed at the dark maiden next to her and prompted her to continue the story, "It's how I met, Persephone really. It was after Hades had taken Kore from her mother and Demeter was having a full out freak show. She was going crazy and taking the world down with her. Endless winter, starving mortals, all sorts of havoc. No one on the big hill up there wanted to get on the bad side of Hades and betray him, and Zeus was in a conundrum 'cause he was Kore's father but Hades has always been his closest brother and so he didn't want to hurt him…. So, I was the only one who got up the courage to tell her and show her the way to the Dark Palace. I met Persephone that day. She was trying to reason with her mother and her new husband at the same time. Always the negotiator and the pleaser, that one. After she sent them both to bed in frustration so that they could talk in the morning she sat beside me and ranted. We were friends ever since."

"You are the only one who friends someone in a fit of anger." Hebe laughed.

"Ah come on, darlin', " Hecate laughed, "You know how appealing that girl is, even when she's off the walls angry."

"Yeah," Hebe smiled softly, though she couldn't keep the soft sadness from her face, "I do."

"Cut it out, sourpuss." Hecate laughed, "You're about to see the girl, herself. No depressing thoughts out of you. As a goddess of light," The dark maiden fingered one long blond curl, "Your heart's pretty dark."

"Just lonely." Hebe defended herself.

"LONELY!" Hecate let out a shriek, "You are with MY divine presence! How could you be lonely."

"I'll be deaf in a moment if you go on like that again," Hebe laughed covering her ears and glaring at her friend, "And you, shut it. I'm not lonely now. Just when you're gone and so is everyone else; I get a bit down. I mean, I'm obsessed with watching mortals, for goodness sakes!"

"Yeah, that's low, girl." Hecate gave her a sharp grin and continued down the path. The souls of the dead lurked at the corner of her light but refused to be caught in the dark light that she controlled. None of them bothered the two goddesses as the meandered in the dark passage way. Especially as they neared the Devourer of Souls, Cerberus.

They heard his growls before they saw him but soon enough the three headed monster turn one of his growling head in their direction. Red eyes assessed them over sharp, gleaming teeth that could rent through any armor.

A bark echoed through the dark cavern as all of his heads then turned to the goddess and the monster bounded towards them, saliva dripping in a wet strand behind one head.

"Oh no," Hebe squeaked as heavy paws crashed on the dark earth coming closer and closer.

"Babies!" Hecate shrieked in joy though and laughed when they pounced on her and licked her face. Hebe wasn't far behind, three heads lovingly trying to show they care.

Hebe couldn't help but laugh at their enthusiasm as they drenched the two goddesses in affectionate licks and slobbers. They climbed up on Cerberus's over large back and began to scratch his ears rigorously. The groans and happy barks made the whispers of souls around them quake but the two goddesses just grinned.

Finally they jumped down and inspected each other. Covered in long dark hairs and their clothing and hair mussed and drying irregularly from the wet kisses they received. They both looked entirely not presentable.

"Oh dear." Hebe looked at her ruined chiton.

"Be, darling." Hecate gave her a mischievous smile, "This is a time for strong expletives. Not a simpering _oh dear_."

"I do not simper."

"Sure you don't."

They bickered and fought their way down to the river Styx where Charon waited patiently. The old man looked them up and down as they gave sheepish smiles. His face didn't move an inch, but his eyes gleamed a little as he ushered the disheveled goddesses into his narrow boat.

Ad they crossed the river the Dark Land of the Underworld was slowly revealed through the fog. It was a land of dark beauty, black trees and cypress lining formal gardens of flowers and plants that the whispers of former life drifted through slowly. When you looked up, it looked as if the night sky was gleaming down on you, but then you realize that it's the brightly shining crystals and precious stones that are glimmering in the Underworlds dim light. Hades wasn't called the Rich One for nothing, all the mineral riches of the earth were his. Hebe sighed happily. It wasn't the blinding marble beauty of Olympus but a dark, softer beauty that appealed to the blond maiden.

"There is a washroom to the left, if you require," Charon's husky voice directed them as they landed on the opposite shore.

"Oh I know." Hecate smiled up at the ferryman who has seen so much. "Not the first time we've visited, ol' man."

"I know, Dark One." He nodded. "It was more a suggestion that you should use it. A reminder, per say."

"Are you saying I'm not beautiful as I am!" Hecate gasped in mock horror.

Charon calmly met her sparkling dark eyes with his own sorrowful ones and she laughed in response. "Ah, Charon ol' buddy, you are always good for a laugh, aren't you."

"Indeed." He answered solemnly. She kissed his cheek before leaping out of the narrow ferry.

"Thank you, Charon," Hebe gave him one of her brightest smiles, "As always, I apologize for her behavior."

He just laid a thin hand with little definition beside the stark bones on her head before turning away and poling his ferry back to the other side.

The two laughed and skipped their way towards the small coach house where they could clean themselves and prepare themselves for the Dark Court. Which they did with much shouting and gleeful abuse. As they neared the palace made of ebony and onyx, their spirits rose.

Soon enough they were entering the gothic Great Hall where Persephone and Hades sat dealing with the Underworld's problems. The spirits that led them here asked them to wait patiently until they were finished. Hebe nodded while Hecate snorted with impatient and sat on a chair she made appear behind her. She never was a patient goddess.

Hebe starred at her dearest friend with wide eyes. This was not the Kore of her memory, that was Persephone sitting regally on her thrown. It always surprised Hebe when she saw the differences between the two.

Persephone sat with a attentive look on her beautiful face as she listened to the plea being stated before her. Her brown eyes that Hebe knew glowed the golden color of caramel when she was pleased looked dark from here but it could have been the dark of her eyelashes no longer tipped with the sun's light but covered in a dark mascara. Her auburn hair that set her apart from so many other gods and goddesses lay straight and long down her back. Gleaming like the dark red of autumn's leaves. It no longer had the bronze and copper streaks from the sun glow that had threaded through the dark. She was pale now, no longer a golden color from dancing in the fields. She looked a queen now, not a pretty girl with laughter in her eyes and on her tongue.

Hebe sighed, Kore was gone now. Persephone was in her place. Didn't mean that Hebe loved her any less, for at the core she was still the godlet that grew up beside her but she was different now.

"You may now approach, Their Majesties," the waif spirit that had led them there bowed low and beckoned them forward.

Hecate groaned, "Finally! You'd never believe I was Persephone's Minister and closest companion… Or was until this blond bimbo came back!"

Hebe wasn't listening though, she was slowly approaching the onyx thrones. Hades already had seen her and there was a happy light in his eyes as he gently placed a hand on his wife's arm to get her attention.

Persephone looked at him and then followed his eyes to the golden goddess walking slowly towards them. She fairly glowed in the shadows of the Great Hall and she took the breath away from Persephone at first glance.

Though not for long. "BE!" The cry was nearly wrenched from her throat as she bounded off the throne and ran full tilt into her closest friend with tears in her eyes. Hebe felt her own tears welling up as she clutched the girl in her arms and hugged her tight.


	3. Royal Rage

Chapter 3

Once again the intimidating marble columns of Olympus surrounded Hebe as she returned to the palace in the clouds. She looked at the blinding beauty around her and sighed. Already she missed the shadowed court of Hades and the laughter that rings through the spacious hallways. It wasn't that bad, though, Kore had come back with her for her months she had to stay with her mother. The smile that was trying to expose itself made Hebe's lips twitch.

She had a marvelous time with Persephone and her friends who made their home under the earth. Nobody to hassle her, or demand a drink without looking at the bearer even though she was a daughter of the king. Just laughter and watching the Queen slowly morph into the laughing goddess of Hebe's memories. The curl was back in Kore's hair and her eyes glowed caramel. Her heart warmed at the memory of the nights the two of them spent by the fireside drinking warmed ambrosia and giggling like godlets again.

It wasn't just Kore who made Hebe's lip curl into a smile of pure happiness. Hecate was often poking in out of the Dark Court with her wild laughter and schemes of mischief and mayhem; quiet Hypnos and his twin Thanatos often came for gossip and walks in the garden; Morpheus and his throng of dreams came to regale them with fantastic stories and images; Not to mention her dearest uncle, Hades.

Hades was a man of few words but when he did say something it was always useful. Hebe had always been one of his favorite nieces and enjoyed her company alone or with Persephone. The two had spent days together wandering the realm in silence or talking about important issues of the day. Hades was never one to give a smile for no reason; So, whenever Hebe did win a grin from the serious king, it made her glow all the brighter.

She smiled at the memories that she had collected over the months of living in the Dark Realm and straightened her back before entering the marble palace where her father lived. Home.

She didn't get very far before she heard the quick flapping of wings hurrying her direction. It was the fast beating of wings that a pheasant makes after being disturbed by hunting dogs. It was someone flying away in a hurry, of being chased. She wasn't surprised when she saw Hermes hurrying down the hall towards her, his winged sandals working hard.

"Hey Hermes?" She gave a wave as he skidded to a stop in front of her.

"Oh Be!" He gave her a hurried hug, "Am I glad to see you, baby girl!"

She laughed at the enthusiastic messenger god. He panted a little and fanned his slightly pink with a hand. Even overworked and tired he was smiling that imp grin of his that betrayed his mischievous nature even while his wide brown eyes try to convince you how guileless he is. "So here's the low down. Pops is in an epic battle with Hera… again. She's found out about his little tryst with the Queen of the House of Perseus and is furious. Well, obviously. But apparently, it's really bad this time. Zeus was really callous and said something along the lines of: if she wasn't such a frigid bitch then he wouldn't have to look else where. So, either we're going to have a new king soon or Hera is going ruin those poor mortals."

"Oh no!" All of Hebe's happy glow was slowly draining, "Poor Alcmene! Was her husband furious when he found out about his wife being seduced by Zeus?"

Hermes laughed at her worry, "Mortal lover! Well, not really… She explained and he understood. I guess. I mean, she's still queen. Haven't really thought about that."

"For a messenger god," Hebe laughed at her half brother, "Your really not good at the details. Iris would know!"

"Iris loves mortals just as much as you do, crazy goddesses! You should go to earth and be a chthonic goddess so you can surround yourself with mortals all day long."

"You think I haven't though about that!?"

"Before you forsake the wonders of Olympus, go run and give your parents a big ol' goblet of your divine nectar and ambrosia. We've been relying on the Charities recently and it's just not the same." Hermes gave her a kiss on the cheek before flapping his wings once more and hurrying off down the hall, "I got another message to relay, but love you, Be!"

"You too, Hermes!" Hebe called before rushing to her storeroom where she had a barrel full of the divine food and drink on store for emergencies like this. Calling in a golden pitcher she filled it to the brim and then paused with her goddess ears alert.

When Zeus and Hera fight, everyone knows. Not only do their voices echo through the expansive halls of their kingdom, but the whole palace shakes with the power of the royal couple. Zeus is the most powerful god that has ever been born and his voice can make buildings crumble alone. When he is angry, his whole form shakes with his power and lightning begins to shoot through his hair and beard; it fairly dance across his strong form. What most people forget is that Hera is almost as powerful as her majestic husband. Cronus's ichor runs in her veins as well and though she appears the dutiful wife, she has a power to her that unsettled the very foundation of the earth. It's a deeper, more subtle power of femininity but runs strong and Hebe could feel her mothers anger just as much as she could feel her fathers.

They were in the throne room. Hebe could pinpoint where the power was coming from and after taking a deep breath to stabilize her nerves, she summoned herself there.

"DO NOT EVEN TOUCH ME!" Hebe's mother screeched at her husband as Hebe entered the room.

She looked at her parents and realized how serious their anger was. Zeus was barley in control of his human like form. He was slipping into what his true nature was. The fury of a thunderstorm. Dark clouds that flashed with bright energy and crackling lightening was filling the nearly empty hall and the pale bolts were skating across his skin as if he was the source of the storm; which in all reality, he was. The only clear feature was his bright flashing eyes that burned a cold blue at the woman standing arrogantly before him.

Hera was equally magnificent in her fury. She was gowned in the royal blue of the peacocks throat. A color no mortal could reproduce as it shined like the birds feathers. Her girdle and jewelry flashed with the glowing green, browns and purple of the finer colors of the sacred bird. Drooping from her ears was two eyes taken from a peacocks tail, a reminder of her follower who once watched another of Zeus's former lovers.

It wasn't just her dress that was magnificent. She was glorious in her regal beauty and control over the shape that made her recognizable. Her skin was pale as as marble but shone with life and beauty. Her eyes have often been referred to as bovine in form; if you've ever seen the beauty of a jersey cows eye, you will recognize this compliment. Large liquid brown eyes that hold so much emotion and sadness in thier depth graced her perfect face. Surrounded by thick eyelashes that brushed her heated cheeks and made you want to lose yourself in them. Her pursed lips, that poured such insults, were perfectly formed and dark rouge. She was more beautiful then Aphrodite in some respects, though lacking the goddess of beauty's more voluptuous and seductive attributes. It was a wonder that Zeus wasn't on his knees before this regal creature begging for forgiveness. However, he had seen this shape before, and any beauty can become commonplace when centuries of it have passed.

"Fine!" Zeus turned and stalked to his throne where he slumped and glared at the woman who he made his queen. This is when he saw Hebe, "Oh, good. Please pour me some. I've been drinking shit since you've left."

"Hi Hebe." Hera said shortly but didn't even look at her youngest daughter. She then turned back to her husband. "So the first born child of the House of Pericles is going to be king."

"Yes." Zeus raised his piercing blue eyes at his wife. If Hebe ever had to deal with that glare, she'd curl up and never leave her storeroom again. She couldn't imagine how Hera dealt with it coming from her lover.

"You've decreed this by the river Styx?" She asked, her voice low and full of the anger she felt against her husbands infidelity.

"Is that what you want, woman?" Zeus thundered. "I swear by the River Styx then!"

Hebe felt the presence of the Underworld River goddess who bears testimony against the gods. One can never refute a swear in her name.

"Good!" She lifted her chin arrogantly and gave one last glare before calling herself away. Presumably to her private chambers that Zeus had gifted her after they had reconciled after their first fight.

"Aww, daughter." Zeus groaned and leaned back in his throne of power as he sipped at her nectar, "I must find a replacement for you when you are gone. I cannot abide the sludge those followers of Aphrodite make."

He gave a sigh and Hebe knew it was better not to talk, just listen when her father was in this mood. "I just cannot understand that woman. She knew what she was getting into when she demanded that I make her Queen as well as lover. She's nonsensical. Of course he will be a king! Why did she have to bring Styx into it? You like those mortals, don't you?"

"Yes." Hebe barely answered it was in such a hushed voice. She couldn't tell her father how angry she was for almost ruining their love. Not now.

"Look after them? Look after the son that the sweet woman will bear me? I know he'll be a son. He'll be great if your mother doesn't turn him into a beast or kill him."

"I'll look after him, Zeus." Hebe agreed sadly, the poor child would have a hard life. Hera hadn't been this angry in a long time.

"Father. I'm your father!" Zeus grabbed her chin gently and made her look into his piercing sky blue eyes that showed all of the sadness he felt over this affair. "I'm not a bad one, am I?"

"Oh Father," Hebe couldn't help but leap into his arms and bury her head in his shoulder, "Not at all. I love you."

"I love you too, little one." He sighed and hugged her close. "I need to make amends with Hera. Will you be okay?'

"Yes, Father." Hebe assured him and watched as he disappeared to Hera's rooms. She was left in the barren room feeling abandoned and worried over the fate of the child Zeus had spawned. How was a Goddess of Youth going to take care of someone hated by the Queen of Olympus?

She sighed and brought herself to her own chambers before summoning an image of the very pregnant Alcmene. It wouldn't be long until the little king was born.


	4. Birth of Alcides

Chapter 4: Birth of Alcides

Alcmene was fit to burst. Her time was coming any time now and Hebe had been running around the palace of Perseus's descendants making sure everything was ready. The birthing chamber was prepared and the proper sacrifices were made along with an additional and extravagant one made to Hera. Now all there was to do was wait.

Alcmene had her family around her, including her also very pregnant sister in law Nicippe. Hebe looked at them shrouded in invisibility and smiled. Has she ever had a moment like this? Surrounded by loving blood kin? More often then not, Zeus and Hera are at each other throats. When they were happy with one another nobody could get in between them and the cloud of lust they emit. Her siblings are the bloody Ares and Eris who she has little in common with, the reclusive Hephaestus, and Ilithyia who has never had time for her. Not to mention the multitude of siblings that Zeus's affairs had produced.

She sighed but her wistful thoughts were interrupted by a cry from Alcmene. She had bounded up in an instant, but the mortals were doing everything they could for her. There was nothing for Hebe to actually do. Which is why she was the only one to watch as Nicippe, even though she still had two months to carry the baby inside of her, gave an echoing cry and fell to her knees.

Hebe turned around and saw her older sister standing there working her divine gift on the younger princess.

"Ilithyia!" Hebe shouted. "What are you doing?"

She looked surprised to see her younger sister in Amphitryon's palace. "Go home, little one. What are you doing lurking around mortals."

"I'm helping Father." Hebe answered with a sternness in her voice and chin. Ilithyia always treated her like a godlet even though she was full grown.

"Well, I'm here on Mother's business, so let's see who will prevail?" Ilithyia gave her a smirk that clearly showed her confidence in what was to come.

"Mother!" Hebe's eyes widened. "Oh no! What's going to happen?"

"Amphitryon will get an heir but it won't be of his loins; it'll be of his brothers." Hebe's sister shrugged and focused on Nicippe who was calling for help.

"What's going to happen to happen to Alcmene?" Hebe nearly shouted at her frustratingly caviler sister.

She just shrugged without even looking, "I think Hermes is on his way to lead her down to Hades."

This stopped Hebe in her tracks, mentally and physically. The beautiful woman that Hebe had begun to get to known was going to be murdered by her sister along with her unborn child. On Hera's orders. Hera's hate runs deep but it's venom shocked even her own daughter.

The screams were begun to be heard on both sides of the palace. Hours passed as Hebe fought with herself, trying to figure out what to do. Alcmene's screams were a cry of frustrated pain while Nicippe's were the harsher moans of pushing the child out. It seemed as if no time had passed at until a servant ran into the hall shouting out the birth of a boy child to the younger princess of Perseus's House.

"Now, this is where the hard part begins." Ilithyia took a deep breath and sat in front down in the hall before Alcmene's birthing chamber. She whispered instructions to herself "That child sure wants to be born. I've got to hold him in there until he's too tired."

Hebe heard her sisters words and they slowly sank into her fogged mind. She had to concentrate. Zeus had asked this one thing of her. If she failed before the baby even took one breath of air, would Zeus ever trust her again? She raced into the birth chamber and was taken back by the smell of blood and sweat that thickened the air in the room and stifled it.

One look at Alcmene told Hebe she had little time. The poor girl was covered in sweat and her chiton clung moistly to her skin; she had soaked it through. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she clenched her mouth to hold in the screams clawing up her throat and forcing their way out.

_What could she do? _She was a Goddess of Youth. She kept the gods young, and there was little more that she did. _Think! _She yelled at herself as her dark eyes took in the entire room.

There was a servant girl there, clutching the hand of her mistress and hiding the tears that falling down her face. She had seen child births before and knew something was wrong. Something should have happened by now. The midwife looked troubled and kept checking the progress in between murmuring comforts to the pained queen.

Seeing the tears on a servants face made something click inside of Hebe. It was not what she could do as a Goddess, but what her mind could do that would get her out of this one. She had always been good at puzzles and mind games, she and Kore would trade them under Helios's summer glow for hours at a time. This was just another puzzle.

Her eyes widened as she thought of something that could work. Ilithyia was far too easily flustered. Always had been; it was one of the reasons she could never stand a godlet sister bugging her all the time. She glamoured herself to look the part of a god and appeared before the worried mortals.

Both the midwife and the servant leapt to their feet but Alcmene barely stirred from her place, just looked at the golden goddess through heavy lids.

"Do you love your queen?" Hebe demanded of the servant in a regal voice. The servant fell to her knees before Hebe and stuttered her confirmation. "Then you must run from this room declaring that a son has been born. Yell it from every wing of the palace. Go now, before it's too late."

The servant stood and ran from the room without any more encouragement. The false announcements had begun to pass her lips before she had managed to make it out of the room. Hebe hid herself from sight once more and tiptoes to the door to watch. As the servant passed her sister sitting tightly cross legged with a pained look on her perfect face, she shouted the fake news.

Ilithyia's eyes snapped opened, revealing eyes as brown as her mothers. "WHAT!" She demanded and stood up in haste. Her gown barely had time to settle by her feet before she stormed into the birthing room in time to hear the midwifes joyous cry of "I see him, my lady! Push! He'll be out soon!"

Ilithyia stood dumbstruck for a moment taking in the scene. "He… he's _not_ born yet?"

"But will be soon!" Hebe crowed with pleasure at tricking her sister. "I guess, I won!"

"You little!" Ilithyia turned on her sister, "Mother demanded that I do this! She is going to be furious!"

"And Father asked me to take care of his son." Hebe answered back just as seriously. "He would be furious with me if I let him die."

"He won't make it long!" Ilithyia scowled. "Not with Mother after him."

"Well, I'll help him until he does." She put a hand on her hip and scowled right back.

"I'm telling Mother!" Ilithyia turned on her heel and stalked out.

"Fine!" She answered and stalked out after, "And I'll tell her how you failed her."

"You are _such_ a pain in the ass, Hebe." Ilithyia groaned and summoned herself to Olympus.

Hebe scowled and settled into a couch that was near her. Ilithya could make her so furious sometimes. She let the commotion continue around her as she settled her own anger. She heard snippets of the conversation that the servants traded hurriedly as the ran by the couch that Hebe rested on.

"Tiresias is here…"

"…the blind seer?"

"twins were born…."

"one's so strong…"

"Nacippi's has a son too"

"…the other's weak in comparison."

"The seer has a prophecy…"

"… not good.."

"…child of Zeus."

Hebe silently marveled at the speed in which news was passed between servant to servant. The day hadn't ended and they knew all that was passing between the walls of the palace.

She was glad Tiresais was here. He had dealt with gods since he was a young man and stumbled upon an argument between Zeus and Hera. Now he would be the one to translate for the royal family, she had a few things to say to them and didn't want to frighten them as she must have in the birthing chamber.

She wandered down the hall smiling to herself, vaguely looking around the hall for Tiresais. She had done something right. She had tricked her older sister and succeeded. Zeus would be proud of her. She was nearly glowing with her deed.

She found Tiresais in the main courtyard. He was standing by the flowers as if he could see them. Even though she was shrouded in invisibility he turned to her as she approached.

"Goddess of Youth, you do me great honor," The blind seer bowed low.

"Mortal," She answered. "Your respect is well received."

"It shouldn't be." He turned sightless eyes to her face, "I won't tell you good things."

"You what?"

"Beware the spawn of beauty, for his arrow shall make you loose everything. Your home, your family, your occupation." He prophesized with a melancholy tone.

"Eros is going to make me fall in love?" She nearly lost her composure, "With who!?"

"With a descendant of Perseus."

"Amphitryon!" Hebe's voice was rising towards piercing. Her composure was quickly running away on swift feet. "Well then I'll just avoid him! I can beat Eros. I beat my sister!"

Tiresais sighed, "You can't escape the future."

"Watch me." She put her hands on her hips and glared at the faultless man. "I'll be in the nursery. He'll never go there. You have to go to the Throne Room and tell them about Zeus's promise. He can be really thick sometimes. Because of his promise, his son will never be king. The son of Nicippe shall be king. The twins of Amphytrion's line shall only be princes. Tell him that the son of Zeus is hated by Hera, she needs to be appeased."

"Yes, Goddess." He bowed his head low. "Is that all?"

She opened her mouth to ask about the future of the little boy she promised to protect but on second thought realized that knowing the future just clouded it even more. She shook her head, knowing he couldn't see but also knowing that her meaning would be conveyed into his mind. She headed to the nursery then to await her messenger. Then she could go home.

It was preposterous to even think that she would ever lose her place in Olympus. Lose her father? Her mother? She was Cupbearer to the gods, no one else could take that spot. Right?

When she entered the room high up in the women's section of the palace she could tell instantly which baby was which. Zeus's child faintly glowed with the touch of divinity. Already he was ahead of the other boys and looking around the nursery with bright blue eyes the color of a summer sky. She glamoured herself into the form of the servant girl who she had tricked Ilithyia earlier.

"How are the wee babes doing?" She cooed in the older woman's voice to the attending servant.

"Galanthis!" The woman rushed to Hebe's side. "I heard awful rumors about your fate!"

"You.. uh… what?" Hebe stammered nervously. She loved to watch mortals but rarely actually interacted with them. Few interact with the Goddess of Youth daily.

"Everyone was saying that the awesome Goddess of Childbirth herself changed you into a weasel for tricking her and saving the Queens life in the process!" The younger attendant hugged her close, "I'm glad the rumors aren't true."

"Oh, goodness." Hebe squeaked and hugged the other girl awkwardly back. She didn't even think about the fate of the poor servant. "Well, clearly they talk to much nonsense. Tell me about the babies."

"Oh yes, of course!" She turned and slid over to the three cradles.

"These are the two you saved. Here's the son that everyone is saying is the son of Zeus. His name is Alcides. Here is his twin Iphicles. And here is Nacippe's son, Eurystheus. I wonder who they'll make king? The son of Zeus or the son of the King."

"Neither." Hebe shrugged and looked at the blue eyed child who was reaching out to her. "Eurystheus will rule the House of Perseus."

"That's insane. Why would the nephew of the king take priority over the kings own sons?"

"He was born first. The gods decreed it. Tiresias is telling Amphitryon now. " She went to the child she had sworn to protect and picked him up. Careful to hold him with soft hands instead of her Goddess strength she cooed to the little prince softly.

That's when she felt the sharp piercing arrow enter her heart. She nearly dropped the baby, Alcides, but managed to sink into a chair with the little one. She looked up to see Eros waving at her cheerfully as he stretched out his wings and flew away.

"No." She whispered breathlessly and then looked into the bright blue eyes of the baby who had stolen her heart. She was in love. Dreadfully in love with a child who had been born only hours before. Her whole body ached with the heaviness of the arrow still buried in her breast.

She tried to catch her breath and reason with herself but the little one reached up with a little hand and tugged on a curl that was slowly turning back to a glorious glowing blond. Every thought except for the ones marveling over the perfect mortal child left her. The servant girl was already on her knees as she looked at the scene of young goddess and baby.

"Alcides." She breathed. The little prince who held the blood of Perseus in him. Tiresias words echoed in her head and her blood ran cold in her veins.


	5. Pleasure and Virtue

Chapter 5

"Be?" The soft voice of Eros called into the dimly lit work room where Hebe generally mixed her brews.

"Get out." Was the love gods only answer.

"Hebe, please." Eros voice held so much contrition but Hebe's heart was cold towards him. "You used to be one of my closest friends. Now you won't even look at me. Forgive me, Be. Please!"

"Eros, why would I forgive you!" Hebe stood and approached her former friend. The lanterns in the room flared with her anger. "You made me fall in love with a mortal!"

"That was fifteen years ago, Be!" Eros sighed trying to find excuses. "And my mother ordered me too!"

"So you chose your mother over your friend?" Hebe demanded.

"Be! You've seen my mother angry! I mean, the reason she wanted me to hit you with a love arrow is because you spilt on her dress. If I had purposely disobeyed her, she would have had my plucked and spit."

"Even better, Eros. You chose to save your skin by attacking your 'friend'." She turned and went back to her mortal and pestle. "Just leave Eros."

"Hebe, I'm just trying to help!" He cried out and followed her.

"HELP?" She turned and glared at the winged god.

He turned sadly and walked away, "Never mind, Be. I can't explain."

"Eros, will you please just go." Hebe sat down defeated. She really didn't like confrontations but Eros hurt her badly. She wouldn't forgive her flighty friend easily. Not for putting her through this much pain.

She sighed and waved her arm at a nearby amphora to show her how the boy was doing. Though, boy was pushing it. He had grown like the demi-god he was; strong, beautiful and clever. He left his brother and cousin behind him as he grew taller, more talented, and more handsome then both of them. Hebe had been a large part of his life. Either as a glamoured nurse or friend, or when it was just the two of them she shed her costumes and let him see her as she truly was formed. Every day, Hebe loved him more and more.

As she looked into the amphora, though. Her heart stopped. She saw in the clear water the young man running through the woods with tears streaming down his face and a scared look on his face. Whatever did he have to fear? Her heart started up again quickly, beating against her chest as if to make up for lost time as she hurried out of the room and summoned herself to the meadow she hoped he would run to.

When she arrived she was alone. The birds were singing in their trees and Helios shined above her as if nothing was the matter. She listened carefully though, remembering the tricks that Artemis taught her. She heard the birds leaving their perches and the muted cried of warning from one avian to another. He was coming, fast and ragged. She had taught him how to make his way through the woods herself, and she knew he could do it well. He wasn't taking any time for that now though. He was crashing through saplings and branches as if they were nothing.

He burst into the clearing quickly and Hebe rushed to his side.

"Oh little one," She looked at his garments that had once been of the finest material but now was shredded and muddied on his form. He looked up at her with blue eyes that held such sadness and collapsed in her arms.

If she didn't have a goddesses strength. She could never of held him. He was hardly a boy, really. Nearly full grown and broad of shoulder already. He was bigger then she was and heavy for a mortal. But she had drank the divine nectar and ambrosia since she was born and had more strength than most.

"What happened, Alcides?" She asked him as she smoothed his blond hair off of his face and tried to wipe away the tears.

He looked at her and sobbed. "Goddess, I did something terrible. I don't know what to do."

He told her that he had been practicing the lyre with his awful teacher Linus. Hebe frowned at the name. The teacher was a bitter man who disliked the talented young prince for reasons of envy. He always berated and belittled the boy for his athletic physique and trouble with the lyre. Many a time had Linus whispered cruelly that it was good that his cousin, Eurystheus was to inherit the throne instead of the cow herder's son that couldn't do anything that a proper prince could. Just because his blue eyes were often looking out the window yearningly during lessons, instead of paying attention to every word that Linus said. Hebe's young prince had a wild heart and much rather would be outside then in. He had no patience for dry lectures. While Hebe had always tried to explain to him that lessons were a benefit too, she still resented the music tutor.

However, even she was dismayed to hear that her prince in a moment of anger hit Linus on the head with a lyre. She knew his god descendant strength, even if he didn't. That tutor would never berate another student again. He'd never do anything again. Thanatos had come and gone and Hermes was probably already leading his shade to the Underworld.

"Oh, little one." Hebe sighed and hugged the crying boy close.

"You truly are my goddess of hope," He leaned back away from her so he could see her face. "Even being here with you makes me feel like things will work out."

"So, your going to continue to call me Elpis?" She asked coyly and put her hands on her hips.

"Until you tell me your real name," He prodded hoping that she'd finally cave and tell him which goddess's favor he had. "And it's all fair, you're the only one who calls me Alcides. Everyone else calls me Heracles."

"_Glory of Hera_" Hebe snorted. "Your parents attempted to mollify Hera by renaming you. They could have saved their time. Hera will not be appeased so easily. So I refuse to call you by the mockery of a name."

"What happens if Hera eventually falls for my unbeatable charms and decided not hate me?" Hercules tried to give her a cheeky grin but his red rimmed eyes betrayed him.

Hebe looked at her own hands as she sadly asked in return. "Why look to a day that will never happen? You are going to have a hard life, my prince. For no other fault then your parentage."

"I've got you, though!" He answered straightening his back, "And as long as I've got you, Elpis. I can face anything."

There was a silence as the two looked at eachother, sky blue eyes looking into brown eyes. Then memories of the past crept into Heracles mind and his face fell once more. "What am I going to do? I feel awful, El!

"I took an innocent life. Linus didn't deserve to die. He was a man just like me. He was doing his job that my family had hired him to do. Just because I'm too dimwitted to keep up with Iphicles and Eurystheus. I just got so angry. I didn't mean to kill him. I didn't even mean to hurt him! I just wanted him to stop talking."

His hands were shaking as he spoke but he held back the tears. The pain in his eyes and his voice cut Hebe to her very soul. The poor boy didn't deserve this pain. It was an accident. A fatal one. That is true. And he would have to own up to it and suffer the consequences.

"I have to go back, El. Will you wait for me here?" His eyes were such a pure innocent blue when he begged her. She couldn't resist anything that boy asked.

She nodded and watched as he rushed away. Her heart felt bigger than it had ever been before as she watched the blond adolescent hurry to meet his fate. The poor child.

"Hey Be!" A voice disrupted her and she turned to see two goddesses of Aphrodite's heritage. Hedone and Arete. Pleasure and Virtue, respectively. It was Hedone who hailed her from across the field.

"Hello! What are you guys doing here?" Hebe was nervous at once, Aphrodite had shown her displeasure with Hebe and having her child and grandchild coming upon her in a mortal place didn't bode well.

"Stop looking like we're about to attack you, Be!" Hedone laughed and skipped forward to embrace the daughter of Zeus.

"We are here to speak to your mortal." Arete's voice was deeper than her neices. Not in an unpleasant way though. It held a depth and control that Hedone's sing song sweet voice did not.

"Alcides? What do you want with him?" Hebe instantly leapt to the defense of the boy who had stolen her heart.

"That is between us and him, Hebe." Arete intoned and settled herself on a rock nearby.

Hebe's blood was boiling. This was her meadow. Her and Heracles's. No body else came here but the two of them. And they had so many memories in this field. This is where she would take the toddler, Heracles, in the form of his nurse and then reveal herself to him when they were alone. This is the field where they played as children and Hebe taught him how to fight, hunt, and wrestle like a god. She was the sister of Artemis, Athena, Ares and so many other talented gods. She'd picked up a thing or too in her life. Now these children of Aphrodite were profaning with their godly business.

"Hebe." Arete motioned for the Goddess of Youth to sit beside her. "You have hurt my brother deeply."

"Aww yeah, Be!" Hedone added. "Eros is really upset that you're mad at him! He's only trying to help!"

"I don't see how tearing my heart out is going to help me." Hebe answered with her chin in the air and her lips stern. She owed the descendants of Aphrodite nothing.

"Eros has very few friends," Hedone sighed. "His line of works 'causes many to begrudge him. But love is such a wonderful thing too! Can't you look on that side of things?"

"Love that ends well is a wonderful thing. Love between a goddess and a mortal is doomed. How many Immortals have ended up distraught because of that mischievous boy's arrows?" Hebe demanded an answer.

"Eros uses the mask of mischief to hide his well meaning purpose. It's better to be reviled always then have someone so disappointed when he makes a mistake." Arete answered levelly. "You used to be his friend. You know this."

She thought about all the times that Eros would take shelter in her workroom and let out a big sigh. He'd sit for hours preening his feathers and telling her about his intentions and how he hoped that he had done well. Sometimes it took time to make his actions mature into good ones, and by that point the god or goddess in question rarely thanked Eros.

She sighed thinking that possibly the winged messenger of love meant well? Then all the memories of the spiteful side of Eros came out. He didn't like being spurned at all, or ridiculed. He often lashed out with his arrows that were often more hurtful then Apollo's golden shafts.

"What about Apollo and Daphne?" Hebe demanded. "Artemis and Orion? Aphrodite and Adonis? Apollo and Hyacinth?"

"Most of those ended in tragedy not because of Eros but because of Thanatos and other's actions. Who knows how they might have turned out if death didn't get involved." Arete interrupted her list of ill fated lovers.

"Do not blame Thanatos for doing his job!" Hebe's anger was rising the more they spoke.

"Be!" Hedone laughed and knelt at her feet with a big smile. "Don't be mad. We're jus trying to help our own! I hate when Father is sad, I want him to happy and flying all of the world with me again!"

Arete didn't listen to her nieces words but turned to Hebe with solemn eyes, "Then don't blame Eros for doing his job."

"EL! EL!" The cry from the woods interrupted their conversation. Heracles was returning. Hebe tried to leap to her feet so she could run to him and hear what the verdict was. However, she couldn't budge from the rock she sat upon.

Arete didn't even look her way as she glided towards the mortals voice. Hedone had the grace to give her an apologetic smile and quickly say in explanation, "We need to do this, Be. Without your influence. Heracles needs to decided for himself."

She was stuck to a rock as those two disciples of Aphrodite approached the confused Heracles. He was expected only his Goddess of Hope, not these two beauties that came to him with promises in their sparkling eyes.

Hedone came to him first. She smiled and alluring smile that promised all the joys of her power, Pleasure. With smooth hands she touched his chest and pressed herself close to him, "I am Pleasure. You could have me if you chose me." Her voice was husky and full throated now. Images of the bedchamber and passion appeared in every mind who heard her seduction.

Arete came next and with softer touches traced the hard line of his jaw. "I am Virtue. If you chose me you will have glory to your name." Her seduction was subtler but just as powerful as her niece's.

The anger that had begun to bubble in Hebe as they talked was now boiling gin her maiden's breast. How dare they touch him like that! Promise him things that would lead to no end. Why couldn't he just stay with her, forever. Why did these sluts from Olympus have to come and ruin things!

"You will be married to Megara, the daughter of the Thebian King Creon, by the end of the year." Hedone placed her lips at the base of his throat and left a trail of kisses between her words. "If you chose me. You will live a pleasant life by her side. An easy life watching your children grow old."

Arete turned burning eyes of the son of Zeus. "If you choose me, your life will be hard but glorious. Your name will be remembered by Hellas's children until the world ends. You will be hailed as the greatest of all the heroes. It won't be easy though, Heracles. You think your life has been hard up to this point? Your childhood will seem idyllic in comparison to what you will have to go through."

_Chose the former!_ Hebe tried to scream but her mouth was just as bound as she was. She couldn't make a sound. _Even if it means I have to abandon you. Be happy! Don't choose pain!_ Heracles watched wide eyed as the two goddesses seduced his body as he tried to make a decision. Like any adolescent boy could use his head when goddesses born of Beauty's loins were doing that to him. The tears came to her eyes as she watched Heracles grab Arete's hands and whisper, "I choose Glory. I choose you, Virtue."

The goddesses gave identical smiles of approval before disappearing without another word. The binds that held Hebe broke the instant they vanished and she broke down in sobs. Heracles was by her in an instant.

"El!" He whispered, the shock of his guardian goddess in tears taking his voice away, "What's wrong, Elpis! Please don't cry."

He took her in his arms without and thought and cradled her head as he whispered murmured comforts in her ear. Hebe had never let herself think of Heracles as an adult before. He had always been her little mortal. She loved him with all that she was, but in a way that held no romantic feelings. Seeing Hedone's lips and hands all over his strong chest and body made jealousy fly into her breast and raise it's ugly head. She wanted to be the one to line kisses along his collar bone and promise him more with her eyes. Being held in his arms was a sweet torture, because she wouldn't act upon her desires. It would be too hard for both of them. He needed to live his mortal life and she couldn't let herself love him with all she was, when she knew that he would feel Thanatos's touch before too long.

"I'm sorry Alcides." She tried to extract herself from his arms but he held on. Instead she just wiped the tears away. "I just hoped you wouldn't choose Arete. I hate seeing you in pain, and what she spoke of didn't bode well."

"I can deal with pain, El." He answered her. "I told you that I can face anything, as long as I've got you by my side."

She looked up into his handsome face _when did he get taller than she?_ And saw his blue eyes smiling down at her. He was so close, it would be so easy to kiss him. Show him what is was to be truly loved by a goddess, not the mockery that Hedone and Arete was going to show him.

Instead she turned from him and asked, "What did your father say."

Heracles crumpled at this questions and sat heavily on the very rock that had kept Hebe bound only moments before. "I'm a monster, El."

She rolled her eyes and wacked him on the head lightly. "Stop it, boy!"

She got a smile from him for that. "My father thinks so at least. I can't be fit for human company anymore. Let alone be a prince. He's banning me to the mountains to watch over cattle and sheep. A prince of Perseus's House turned into a measly cow herder. How am I going to reach Hero status if I'm out with the cows, El?"

"Trust in the gods, those two have something planned and they won't stop until it's fulfilled." Hebe answered with foreboding. If only goddesses could forget, maybe her mortal would have a chance at a peaceful life.

"You should have seen Eurystheus's face." Heracles sighed. "He was nearly ecstatic. At least Iphicles hugged me good bye. Why do they hate me so much? I've never purposely done anything to harm them. No one understands, El. Except for you. They all treat me like I'm about to break things or hurt someone. Given, this is a bad time to mourn that. Poor Linus. I really wish things had been different, I had more patience or less of a temper. I don't always do things like that though! Sometimes I can just be like everyone else, but no one treats me like everyone else. Why, El? Why can't people just accept me? Just because a seer said that I was the son of Zeus!"

"You are the son of Zeus, Alcides." Hebe grabbed his chin an made him look at her. "That sets you apart from the rest. You weren't six months old when Hera sent serpents into your cradle to poison you. I tried to rush from Olympus when I found out and help you but by the time I had gotten to you, the snakes were dead. You had strangled them and killed them. You didn't know how to walk at this point, yet you had saved yourself as well as your cousin and brother. You are destined for great things, Alcides. Whether I want it or not."

"Why wouldn't you want that for me El?" Heracles looked up at his goddess in question.

"Because everything that hurts you, hurts me worse. If you'd only be happy, then I could be happy too."


	6. Madness

Chapter 6

She stormed into the Throne Room of Olympus. The twelve beautiful marble throne, hand crafted by Hephaestus curved in an elegant arch around her. She had eyes only for the woman in the center. The powerful, white-armed, cow eyed beauty that was the youngest daughter of Cronus, wife and queen of Zeus; Hera.

"Mother!" She nearly shouted as she stomped up to the golden throne and the passive faced deity calmly assessing her youngest daughter.

"Please, would you leave me and my daughter for a moment," She quietly addressed the other gods and goddesses loitering in the place of power. They were all gone in an instant at their Queen's order. "Hebe, you should really learn to control yourself in court. Your outburst are entirely unseemly."

"I can't believe you," Hebe voice was as cold and controlled as her mother's; though the passion that drove the normally meek goddess was in the timbers of her voice and the flush in her cheeks, "You are a monster."

"Don't you dare address your mother like that," Hera's control was unbeatable, but the ice in her voice was sharper then broken glass.

"You destroyed him," Hebe felt the tears building in her throat but she swallowed them down. "He was so happy! He had a beautiful wife who he loved and those sweet little boys. You should have seen his face when the king of Thebes asked him to court, after fighting against the Minyans. Thebes thought he was a hero. He has been treated with scorn and fear since he was born, and they accepted him! They loved him, Mother! He was happy for the first time in his life!

"And you destroyed that. You took everything from him. No one can fight Madness when she is her most poisonous, and she was glittering in the necklace that Hephaestus gave you last summer. He killed them all. Megara and those three little boys. If you had seen his face when had awakened from madness, you would know that when I call you a monster, I only speak the truth."

"Immortals have long memories, Hebe." Hera cautioned coldly, "And they hold onto anger for a very long time. That spawn of my husband is not worth your anger, _daughter._ He is a slut like his father, not worthy of your regard. If you want a mortal to degrade yourself other, choose a worthy one like my Jason or even Theseus."

"Alcides is a better man than both those princes. And anyways, he was _asked_ to come to the court of Thespiae! When he killed the lion with his bare hands, the king recognized the strength in his blood and asked him to sleep with his daughters in order for him to have a grandson with Zeus's blood in his veins. One of the girls even refused him, and Alcides left her without another question. That is why he slept the 50 daughters of Thespius. He is a _good_ man!"

"It's Heracles now, _Glory of Hera._" Hera mocked coldly at her angry daughter. The blood roared in Hebe's ears as she watched how blithely her mother thought about destroying her mortal's life. "And Hebe, you have been neglecting your duties because of this _human._" She spat the last word. "Your father and I are very displeased. Zeus is looking for a replacement now, because he realized that you don't understand the responsibility of your job."

That stopped Hebe in her anger. "What!?" She demanded.

"You are fired, Hebe." Hera answered calmly. "You have to take responsibility for your actions."

"But Mother!"

"But nothing, Hebe. You knew that this could happen. You have spent more time on Gaea then on Olympus in the last twenty years. We still need our ambrosia and nectar, even when it is not convenient for you. You must have known this was coming."

Hebe had no words. "I hate you, Hera." Was what she finally uttered. "You are no mother of mine."

And with that she rushed out of Olympus to the entry courtyard. She fought with her tears but by the time she made it to the entry, they were streaming down her face.

"Geeze, Be," Iris was there waiting for some god or another to send her with a message. It was her courtyard, really. Hebe just wished for once she had been else where. "What's wrong?"

"Everything's falling apart!" She wailed and sat down on the marble edge of the main fountain. "Everything."

"What happened?" Iris asked, her eagerness for any Olympian gossip coloring her words and making her golden wings flash behind her.

"Leave me alone, Iris!" She shouted at the inquisitive goddess, "Not everything is your business! Just go away!"

But without another words she summoned herself to earth, so that she wouldn't have to face the outrage or disgust on her friend's face. Her anger at her mother was coloring all of her actions. Iris didn't deserve those harsh words, Hera did. She caved and crumbled to the ground in tears.

Her pain was nothing compared to Heracles though. She rose to her feet and dried her tears before summoning herself to his side. She was surprised to find that he was at Delphi. The powerful sight of Apollo's oracle.

"Goddess!" His elation at the sight of her healed some of the pain in her heart. "I thought you had left me!"

His clear blue eyes, that held so much sadness now looked at her plaintively. She crumbled at the sight. "Sweet Alcides," She softly answered and ran a hand down the strong planes of his cheek, "I will never abandon you. Remember that. I am not some fickle goddess, here only for your glory. I will do anything I possibly can to help you. I just wish I could do more. Hera is just so powerful."

Heracles beamed at her words, "I don't know how I got to be so lucky to get you, Elpis. I'd choose you over Hera, any day."

"Watch your mouth, she'll hear you."

"I don't care if she does. The hope you give me, is better then any favor she'd give me. " Heracles was earnest. "After everything happened, I didn't think I could go on. I was going to fall on my sword and end everything there. Then you came."

"You knew it was me?"

"Never had Theseus been so understanding, Elpis." He smiled at his goddess, "I can always tell when you have taken the shape of those around me. With a conversation, you showed me that it wasn't the end of the world. I don't know what I'd do without you.

"The oracle told me that I need to repent by performing ten tasks for my cousin." He changed the subject when he saw how speeachless he'd left her.

"Eurystheus?"

"Yeah, he'll be happy. Finally be able to order me around all he wants." He tried to give a smile. It almost succeeded.

"What a pair you two make," Hecate's harsh laughter interrupted them.

Hebe looked up in surprise but Heracles didn't move at all.

"The mortal can't see me. Make an excuse and come with me, girly." Hecate gave her a crooked grin and began to saunter off.

"I'll be back soon," Hebe quickly told the young man before following her friends orders. "What's up Catey?"

"Persephone's worried about you." Hecate gave her a wink and flopped gracefully down onto a bank of Delphi's beautiful hills. "Heard some rumors about you, missy. That poor broken hero is being led by a broken goddess."

"I am not broken." Hebe answered heatedly.

"Well let's go over the information. Self-exiled from Olympus; so no home. Denying parents; no family. Zeus has a new boy-toy cupbearer; does that mean no job? Taking anger out on others; losing friends, though not all of them, that insufferably loyal queen of the Underworld is still on your side. I advised against it, never good to get on the wrong side of Hera." Hecate was insufferably jovial as she went on.

"Will you shut up?" Hebe moaned and buried her face in her hands. Tiresias words echoed in her head. _Beware the spawn of beauty, for his arrow shall make you lose everything. Your home, your family, your occupation._

"Hey you still want me on your side, right?" Hecate mockingly sounded upset, "You better watch your tongue, or I'm out here, sourpuss."

"I'm sorry Catey." She moaned.

"Well that's a little better, a smile might make me giddy though." Hecate leaned close to the goddess of youth a stupid grin creasing across her face ridiculously.

"You are the weirdest goddess I have ever met." Hebe rolled her eyes but Hecate had made her laugh.

"Good! There's the Be I know and love." Hecate kissed her cheek and laughed with her.

"You are, oddly, one of the very best goddesses in the world."

"Damn straight I am," Hecate leaned back and laughed.

"You should have seen him, though Catey." Hebe sighed.

"By Chaos! You're obsessed!"

"I'm serious Catey! I found him holding his youngest son in his arms sobbing like the world was ending."

The mental image of Heracles wracked with grief haunted her. His strong body looked like it could barely hold up the weight of the limp toddler. His blue eyes, that she'd always loved, were barely unrecognizable with the depth of guilt he felt. Pain like Hebe couldn't even imagine altered Heracles. She used all her words to explain to him that it was Hera's doing, not his own, that led to the death of all of those he loved. That killing himself was not just unacceptable, but a cowardly thing to do. He needed to prove that Hera couldn't beat him. If he killed himself, he would be making Hera happier then anything else, she'd been trying to see him dead since before he was born. He left the conversation with a resigned promised to live, but a darkness in his blue eyes that lacked the pure innocence that Hebe had always cherished.

"Shit," Hecate swore as a prayer rang in her ears but kissed the contemplative goddess quickly on the cheek, "I've got to go, Be. But give that mortal some lovin' from me. Stop being so frigid and give him some _real_ comfort. Oh, and 'Sephone says you can always stay in Hades' realm now that you've finally given up the blinding palace in the sky… blah blah blah." Her words were said in a blasé manner but she gave a wink and smiled with much fondness. Hecate was a confusing soul.

Hebe then returned to Heracles and the two began to travel the distance to Heracles former home. The House of Perseus, the palace of Tiryns and Mycenae. They talked the entire time, expanding on a friendship that had deep roots.

When they finally began the approach to the megaron where Eurystheus awaited with his first tast, Heracles had to take a moment to take a deep breath and collect himself. Hebe, in the form of a young servant boy, came up beside him and squeezed his hand. Trying to give her strength to him in that moment of comfort.

He smiled down at her and said, "This is a good thing, El. It's going to redeem me so that I can live again. I need to take responsibly for my actions. Even if Hera was behind them."

They entered and approached the throne where the tall and thin cousin of Heracles sat regarding them with disdain. He had none of the god descending beauty of Heracles with his swarthy skin and coarse, dark hair. The only thing that showed their familial connection was the bright blue eyes that often traced the descendants of Zeus. For Eurystheus's grandfather was Perseus, another son of Zeus, and could make a watered down connection to the king of gods like Heracles.

On either side was his silent and elegant wife, Antimache, and Heracles twin brother Iphicles who smiled down on his brother with a warmth that was lacking when they were growing up together. The son of Amphitryon was just as tall as his cousin with a more approachable demeanor and face.

Heracles walked confidently up to his family and bowed only the appropriate measure for an uncrowned cousin of the king was supposed to. Not a measure more.

"Heracles," Eurystheus's voice held all of the contempt he held for his more talented cousin as a child, "I have my first task for you prepared."


End file.
